Letter: History's lessons on Turkish intervention

Sir: Both Peter Sarris and Omiros Millas obviously have an axe to grind against Turkey (Letters, 11 March).

Turkey did not invade or occupy north Cyprus. It intervened under the international Treaty of Guarantee for the territorial integrity of Cyprus, when that integrity was threatened by Greece in 1974, which aimed at annexing Cyprus. Greece, Britain, Turkey were the guarantors of that integrity and the state of affairs. On 19 July 1974 Makarios declared in the Security Council that 'Greece had invaded Cyprus'.

The existence of the Turkish army in northern Cyprus has enabled both northern and southern Cyprus to enjoy 20 years of peace, security and stability, and prevented Cyprus from becoming a second Bosnia, which it was being turned into by the Greek and Greek Cypriot extremists with their 'ethnic cleansing' of the Turkish Cypriots before the arrival of the Turkish peace-keeping force in 1974.

Yours faithfully,

RESAT CAGLAR

Head of Mission

Office of the London

Representative

Turkish Republic of

Northern Cyprus

London, SW1

11 March